4 important characters from the Cantar del Mio Cid

He Song of My Cid are a set of poems that recount the life and heroic deeds of the Castilian knight Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar the Champion. This is the first such extensive work in Spanish literature and the characters play a very important role in the development of the story.

In this lesson from a PROFESSOR we want to introduce you to the characters of the Sing of My Cid, so that you can understand the psychology that this anonymous author used when telling his story.

All the characters of the Sing of My Cid they have one characteristic in common: yeswith real people that existed at the time of Cid Campeador. This makes his reactions and his ways of acting, crazy as they may seem, very human and real. In addition to the real characters that historically existed, there are some that generate some doubts, since that it is not known if they are the product of the author's imagination or if they really existed, but with another name.

The main characters of the Sing of My Cid They are the ones who make the plot move forward and without them, it wouldn't have made sense to take a pen and paper and start telling any story.

Don Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar

Don Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar or also known as El Cid Campeador is the protagonist of the song. He presents himself as a virtuous character, with religious piety and who professes great love for his family. He is brave and smart in battle. He Sing of My Cid tells the story of his heroism as he overcomes his own banishment and does his best to win back the king's trust. In addition, during the play, he repairs the dishonor suffered by his daughters Elvira and Sol, at the hands of the infantes of Carrión. He comes to win countless fortunes and lands that make him have the honor that he had always sought on earth.

King Alfonso VI

King Alfonso VI he is the king of castile and at the beginning of the Sing of My Cid banish Don Rodrigo for economic dishonor. Although, as time goes by, he realizes that the Cid Campeador is a good vassal who is interested in maintain, since despite having banished him, he continues to send presents to regain the trust of the monarch. Finally, he forgives El Cid and allows him to return. He is the man with the highest authority in the kingdom and ensures that the laws are fulfilled fairly.

Doña Elvira and Doña Sol

Doña Elvira and Doña Sol They are the daughters of the Cid Campeador and are one of the reasons why the protagonist fights. According to the expert in literature and history Menéndez Pidal, the real names of the daughters of Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar would be Cristina and María, but in the work they are named in this way. Doña Elvira is 11-12 years old while her sister Doña Sol is 10-11 years old. When they marry them to the Infantes de Carrión, they are mistreated and humiliated, but finally a close relative saves them.

Other important characters

Other important characters for the development of the work are:

• Mrs. Jimena: She is the wife of El Cid and the niece of King Alfonso VI.
• The Infantes of Carrion: They are Fernando and Diego González, two boys who, according to experts, represent the dishonor and cowardice of El Cid.
• Garcia Ordonez: He is the enemy of El Cid.
• alvar fanez: The right hand of El Cid.
• Fool: El Cid's horse, and one of the most recognized in singing.

In this other lesson, we offer you a complete Summary of the Song of Mío Cid.

Before we finish, we want to leave you with a fragment of Sing of My Cidso that you know the way it is written and can give it a try in your next reading:

"The Cid was with his family in Valencia the greatest

and with him both his sons-in-law, the infantes of Carrión.

Lying on a bench slept the Campeador,

Now you will see what a bad surprise happened to them.

He has escaped from her cage, and the lion was loose,

Upon learning of it from the court, great fear spread.

The people of the Campeador embrace their mantles

and they surround the seat protecting the lord from him.

But Fernando González, the infant of Carrión,

She can't find where to go, she found everything closed,

he got under the seat, so great was the terror of him."

Now you know the main characters of the Sing of My Cid and the importance they have in the work. If you are interested in continuing to learn more about Spanish literature and want to discover authentic literary works of art, don't Do not hesitate to consult our reading section, where we will explain everything you need to be passionate about each of the pages of a book.